Trial by jury of Nigerian man accused of conspiring to deal drugs begins

The trial by jury of a Nigerian who is charged with conspiring to sell/deal drugs in Malta started yesterday. The accused is Chukwudi Samuel Obyeabor, known as ‘Nokia.’

The incident dates back to 2007, when Mr Onyeabor is said to have met with another Nigerian man, Ferdinand Onovo at Luxol Grounds in order to discuss the importation of cocaine. His accomplice, Mr Onovo, had admitted to the charges in a separate case and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

In submissions the Attorney General said that the meeting delved into logistics and contended that “the drugs were to be picked up from Benin, Africa, over to Libya, then finally over to Malta”. Mr Onyeabor instructed Mr Onovo that he would call him on the day the deal was to take place. The Attorney General’s legal team went on the say that this plan was fine-tuned in the weeks leading up to February 2008.

In February 2008, two men, one from Estonia, had boarded a plane from Tripoli, Libya to Malta with bags found to be carrying cocaine. Customs Department officials together with the police made the discovery, while the Estonian man, Aulis Zopp, cooperated with the police by agreeing to a controlled delivery to Mr Onovo.

Mr Onovo was instructed by the accused to meet with Mr Zopp at a hotel in Sliema in order to receive the package. Mr Onyeabor was to get on a plane to Malta in order to pick up the package.

While Mr Onovo had met with the Estonian man to pick up the cocaine, the police intercepted and arrested him. In turn, he agreed to another controlled delivery for the package to reach its intended buyer, the accused.

The cocaine amounted to 5,761g, and is said to have a street value of somewhere between €403,305 and €593,434.

His accomplice, Mr Onovo had admitted to the charges and therefore did not face a trial by jury. The courts sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of €25,000. Mr Onovo was to receive €2,000 as compensation for his involvement in brokering the drug deal.

Lawyers Simon Micallef Stafrace and Mark Sant represented the accused.

Representing the Attorney General are lawyers Nadia Attard and Kevin Valenzia.